Miss Landon and Aubranael (Tales of Aylfenhame Book 1) (33 page)

Her fame had spread very quickly, for the creations she produced had never been seen before in Grenlowe. She was never idle, and her increased prosperity allowed her to pay Mary and Thundigle very handsomely for their work in keeping house and shop—much higher wages than her poor father had ever been able to muster. And with their burgeoning bakery business in progress, she felt that her two dear friends had never been happier either.

She saw Balligumph frequently, for she made the crossing to Tilby as often as she could. She visited Isabel and Anne, too, and sometimes received them at Silverling in return. Even Grunewald periodically paid her a call: so often, in fact, that she began to suspect him of some ulterior motive, though he would never confirm her suspicions. She was interested to note that Grunewald’s visits often coincided with Isabel’s, though he always seemed sincerely surprised to see her there.

But there were clouds in her sky. The first related to Hidenory, and the events of a few weeks previously. The Witch of the Outwoods had provided a perfectly plausible story about her past, at least on the surface; but something about it rang false to Sophy. Perhaps it was because she struggled to see Hidenory—strong, powerful, proud, predatory—as Lihyaen’s ‘Nurse Hidey’, an ordinary woman committed to the care of a little girl. It did not
fit.
Besides, was it possible for the powers of Glamour to be bestowed in the fashion Hidenory had claimed? Sophy did not know, but she doubted.

And nothing that she knew about Hidenory, or that Hidenory had claimed about herself, seemed to allow the possibility of her freely making so considerable a sacrifice as to take Lihyaen’s place at the never-ending tea party. Sophy felt sure that some other motive had been at work, one that Hidenory kept to herself; and she was, at times, troubled.

But the greater sadness that she felt related to Aubranael. Surrounded with friends and well-wishers as she was, she had yet to hear from
him.
She had no notion at all what had become of her dear Ayliri friend and the princess Lihyaen, nor of Felebre (who, she presumed, had gone with them). She was often tempted to make her enquiries of Grunewald, but her pride revolted at the idea; and he never mentioned them.

Time and reflection and happiness had dulled the hurt and resentment she had felt towards him. His masquerade had not truly injured her, nor anybody else worth caring for; she suspected that the only real damage he had caused had been inflicted upon himself.

And she could imagine his feelings, to some degree. How often had she been dismissed from consideration—rejected and neglected—merely because she was not
beautiful!
How much worse must it have been for him; not only lacking in beauty but actually disfigured, cursed with a truly repellent aspect? She had sensed his loneliness from their first meeting: it had echoed her own, only his was so much deeper.

She regretted his absence, for all these reasons and more. She began to feel that, given sufficient time, she could indeed have loved him: his behaviour to her in both guises had always been so considerate, so gentle, so truly caring, and his tastes, his interests, his ideas had matched her own so well.

Her heart ached to think of him, adrift somewhere in Aylfenhame without, perhaps, the comfort of friendship to assist his labours. But that was absurd of her: he had Lihyaen, and though the princess had suffered much and would require a great deal of tender care during her recovery, he was no doubt delighted with her company. She had seen his love for her so clearly at the tea-party. It had simultaneously warmed her and broken her heart; for Lihyaen was beautiful, or she would be once the glow of health and happiness returned to her face and form. Insecurity often gnawed at Sophy’s heart, though she tried her best to chase it away: did she feel that Lihyaen did not deserve Aubranael’s regard? Did she truly wish to deprive her of it, and secure it to herself instead? No; the princess was in far greater need of love than Sophy herself, and it was selfish to wish for a change in Aubranael’s heart.

But such reflections did her no service. They dimmed the sunshine of her days, and sapped the warmth in her heart. She sat up in the chair, picked up the folds of fabric in her lap and recommenced her sewing. The best cure for sadness was labour, she had often found, and she had plenty of
that
to sustain her.

Barely had she begun anew when the bell over her front-door sang out and a great, sleek purple cat stalked into the shop and circled, nose lifted and tail twitching as she tested the air.

‘Felebre!’ Sophy cried in surprise.

The door remained open and in another moment somebody else came into the room: a tall, slender Ayliri woman, her dark hair neatly braided, her clothes simple. When she turned her face towards the rocking-chair, Sophy saw large golden eyes containing an expression of high discomfort—even fear.

Close behind her came Aubranael.

He was dressed as Sophy had first seen him, in a simple tunic and trousers, tall boots and his enormous wide-brimmed hat; his hair flowed unchecked down his back. He hovered solicitously behind Lihyaen, but his eyes sought out Sophy’s. He held her gaze, his face grave; no hint of a smile had he to offer, and the delight that had always graced his face when he saw Sophy was absent as well.

Sophy’s heart began to pound and—to her acute embarrassment—her face flushed up with colour. She tried very hard to appear composed as she folded up her sewing and laid it upon the table beside her.

‘Princess Lihyaen,’ she said in a voice of practiced calm. ‘And Aubranael. How kind of you to visit us here.’

The words emerged too cool, too grave; Sophy’s heart sank as she realised they must sound sarcastic to Aubranael. Would he take her words as a veiled reproach?

She could not tell, for he still said nothing: only swallowed visibly, and dropped his gaze to the floor. It was Lihyaen who stepped forward and shook Sophy’s hand, a hesitant smile lighting her face.

‘Oh—but should I have curtsied?’ said the princess in momentary confusion. ‘Aubranael
did
tell me all about the manners of England, but I fear I have forgotten. I am so pleased to meet you, Miss Landon.’

Sophy gazed at her, mute and nonplussed. She did not know how to interpret this show of friendliness, offered by somebody who remained a complete stranger to her. Not only that but, by slow degrees, her treacherous heart had been painting poor Lihyaen in the colours of an enemy: the one who had taken Aubranael away, perhaps forever. In light of the young woman’s sincere friendliness, Sophy could only feel deeply ashamed of her own thoughts.

‘I will shake your hand, and very gladly,’ Sophy said, mustering a smile. ‘Never mind the manners of England: we are in Grenlowe and will do as the Ayliri do. It is I who should be curtseying to
you
.’ And Sophy did so, curtseying as deeply as she would have to English royalty.

Lihyaen merely looked confused, and glanced uncertainly at Aubranael. Sophy looked at him, too, and waited: it was time he explained himself.

Poor Aubranael flushed under the weight of their combined gaze, and began to stutter. Then he sighed, pulled off the concealing hat and dropped it carelessly onto the floor.

‘Miss Landon,’ he said. ‘I cannot even begin to apologise to you for—’

‘Indeed you cannot,’ Sophy interrupted hastily, ‘and I beg you will not try, for it is not at all necessary.’ She could not bear to see him looking so downtrodden, so dejected and so unsure of himself: better to sweep his apologies away than hear him stutter and stumble his way through them on her account.

Aubranael blinked at her, nodded, and said nothing for a moment. ‘I… it is intolerable cheek on my part, but I have come here seeking your aid.’

Sophy’s brows went up in surprise. She had struggled to guess at his reasons for coming to her shop, but that he might be in need of something from
her
had not crossed her mind. ‘By all means, you need only ask,’ she said.

Aubranael’s expression softened, and he looked at her with a glow of approval which brought the colour back into her face. ‘Ah, I should have known that you would be everything that is generous!’ he said. ‘Even in spite of my—’ he stopped. ‘But you have forbidden that topic, and so away with it! The favour I seek is on behalf of Lihyaen.’ He smiled affectionately at the princess, who stood stroking Felebre’s soft-furred head and looking around the shop with great curiosity.

‘It is… not possible to return her to the palace. You may imagine the difficulties—the dangers. At present we have agreed that it is not advisable, and not what she needs.’ He looked back at Sophy, his smile fading. ‘She has suffered much, and I believe that she is most in need of… security. A quiet, ordinary life, full of simple pleasures and the company of friends. To my infinite regret, I cannot provide her with any of this.

‘But Grunewald has kept me apprised of your accomplishments, and the success of Silverling. I had wondered—hoped—that you might—’

‘I shall be very happy to take care of Lihyaen,’ Sophy said. And she meant it. Something about Lihyaen’s honest curiosity about the shop, her unalloyed warmth, and her affectionate treatment of both Felebre and Aubranael had won over Sophy’s heart almost instantly. She could see Aubranael’s protectiveness towards Lihyaen, and found it echoed in her own heart.

Aubranael’s face slackened with relief, and he let out a long sigh. ‘Thank you,’ he said simply. ‘I had nowhere else to turn.’

Sophy gave him a small smile, and turned to Lihyaen. Taking the young woman’s hand, she gave her to understand that her welcome was warm indeed, and that she might stay as long as she liked. As she spoke, Lihyaen’s face blossomed into a shy smile, and she gripped Sophy’s hand a little too tightly.

Lihyaen was very young, Sophy realised. She and Aubranael had been of an age at one time; but the Teapot Society had, perhaps, held her in some manner of stasis for many of the intervening years. As a result, Sophy guessed that she had aged no more than seven or eight years, where Aubranael had aged more than twenty. She could well believe that the princess was in need of a stable environment: she had much growing to do, as well as healing.

‘Can you sew?’ she asked the princess.

Lihyaen frowned doubtfully, but she nodded. ‘I learned how to do that, once,’ she said, her face wistful. ‘But I am not very good.’

‘Never mind; you soon will be! I am in great need of an assistant, so you see, it will be of benefit to us both to remain together for a time.’ This was a small untruth, for Sophy had recourse to a great deal of assistance, should she require it; Thundigle and Tut-Gut had many friends who were quick and deft with a needle, and delighted to be paid for their trouble.

But Lihyaen would benefit from an occupation; something that would keep her mind and hands busy, and afford her plenty of company. And Mary and Thundigle would teach her to cook.

Lihyaen smiled shyly and nodded, and Felebre came to rub herself past Sophy’s legs in an unmistakeably affectionate gesture. Surprised, Sophy spared a moment to stroke the cat’s great head. Her fur was remarkably soft, and cool under Sophy’s fingers.

‘Shall we get you settled in at once?’ Sophy said to Lihyaen. ‘I have a room which will do very nicely for you, and Mary will have it made up in a trice.’

‘Thank you,’ said the princess.

Sophy called for Mary, and her old friend came in immediately, followed by a flour-dusted Thundigle. They both greeted Lihyaen like an old friend, and chivvied her away upstairs to be bathed and dressed and fed and settled in her new home. Sophy watched them go, her heart glowing with affection for her two oldest friends. She could leave Lihyaen in no better hands.

But her good feelings faded away very quickly, leaving her confused, unsure and a little afraid. Would Aubranael now wish to bid her goodbye? Mr. Stanton’s behaviour had latterly suggested to her that he had definite intentions in her direction; but perhaps this had been a mere product of the part he was playing, and easily shed along with the rest.

But Aubranael made no move to follow Lihyaen, or to depart. He stood rather awkwardly in the centre of the shop, his eyes downcast. He fidgeted with the buttons of his tunic, then thrust his hands into his pockets in an impatient gesture.

Sophy watched, confused. In his treatment of Lihyaen, she had seen solicitude and sincere concern for her welfare, pleasure in her company, and plentiful affection. But he did not seem mesmerised by the princess’s presence; he did not hang upon her every word, nor gaze lover-like into her face. His regard for her appeared more in the character of a brother than a lover. And the fact that he had chosen to remain in the shop with Sophy, instead of following the princess into the rest of the house, appeared to her as a promising sign. But perhaps the wishes of her heart were leading her astray; she ought not to indulge such hopes.

‘May I offer you some tea?’ Sophy said. ‘I will have to pour it myself, I am afraid, as Mary is otherwise occupied. It is likely to be dangerous.’

She had hoped to draw a laugh from him with her flippant comment, but he made no response at all—except to raise his eyes from the floor, and fix them upon her face.

‘No tea, then,’ Sophy observed. ‘Perhaps I may offer you something edible and easily-served, instead.’

‘I am not hungry!’ Aubranael declared.

‘Oh! Then I shall not press you,’ said Sophy mildly.

Aubranael took a deep breath and said quietly: ‘You will have heard by now of my—my—deception, for we must give it that name. I cannot imagine that your friends left you long without information on such a point.’

Sophy inclined her head in assent.

‘You behave as though you had forgiven me, Miss Landon, but I hardly dare hope that—’ He trailed off and stared at her in rather a dramatic fashion, his face stricken as if he expected to receive some great blow from her.

Sophy began to feel a mixture of amusement and impatience at this display of strange and not especially polite manners. ‘I do not see any
very
convincing reason why I should not,’ she said with a touch of asperity. ‘I was, I admit, a little dismayed when I first heard of your charade; but it did not take me very long to see that, had I been offered the opportunity to enjoy great beauty for a few weeks, I would have accepted it without hesitation. I must be the greatest hypocrite in England, then, to treat you harshly for having done the same.’ She paused. ‘I only wish you had told me the truth about your identity when you arrived. I cannot help feeling that I wasted a great deal of time in learning to trust Mr. Stanton, when I had already formed a favourable impression of
you
.’